How to wear my Pareo
Instructions for use
Various knots are available to tie your sarong in an original and stylish way.
We’ve prepared detailed instructions and pictures to help you vary the knots.
What exactly is a pareo?
A pareo is a large rectangle of fabric that you tie directly onto yourself. No buttons, no zip, no size to choose: the same piece of cloth dresses a slim figure and a fuller one equally well. The word comes from Tahiti, the technique comes from Java. Ours are painted with hot wax, one motif at a time, then developed bath after bath — each one is a single piece, not a print.
The only thing that stops people is the knot. You don’t know how to put it on, so you don’t wear it. Here are eight ways to tie it, from the simplest to the dressiest. The videos below show every step.
1. The classic waist knot
The quickest, and where everyone starts. Pass the pareo behind your back, bring both corners to the front, cross them over one hip and tie a double knot. That’s it. For a long skirt, tie at the waist; for a short one, fold the fabric in half lengthwise first. A knot on the side holds better than a knot in front, and leaves a natural slit that moves as you walk.
2. The halter dress
Hold the pareo horizontally behind you, pull it up under your arms, bring both corners forward, cross them over the chest and tie them behind your neck. A dress in ten seconds. Pull the neck knot tight — it carries the whole weight of the fabric.
3. The bandeau
Same start as the halter dress, but instead of going up to the neck, tie both corners together under the arms, above the chest. Simple, strapless, perfect when it is very hot. To make it hold all day, roll the top edge over on itself once before tying.
4. The one-shoulder
Pass the pareo under one arm, bring both corners over the opposite shoulder and tie them there. The asymmetry does all the work: this is the dressiest knot of the lot, the one that works in the evening on a terrace with flat sandals.
5. The long wrap skirt
Open the pareo to its full width, hold it in front of you, bring the corners round behind your back, cross them, then tie in front below the navel. The fabric falls to the ankles and opens with every step. This is the most covered-up version, the one you keep on to go to lunch without changing.
6. The beach trousers
The one that impresses people. Place the pareo behind you, bring the corners to the front, pass each corner between your legs and tie them behind your back at the waist. You get improvised harem trousers, comfortable enough to sit cross-legged in. A little practice in front of a mirror the first time, then it comes on its own.
7. The pareo for children
On a child, a pareo replaces the towel, the swimsuit and the beach dress all at once. One knot is enough: tie both corners over one shoulder and let the rest fall freely — it dries in minutes and squeezes nowhere. For small children, use a size made for them rather than a folded adult pareo: our kids pareos are cut to their size, with the same hand-painted motifs as the grown-up ones.
8. The beach bag
Lay the pareo flat, put your things in the middle, tie two opposite corners together, then the other two. The two knots become the handles. Useful on the way back from the beach, when the towel is wet and you need one hand free.
And for men?
The same fabric is worn by men under the name sarong: tied at the waist it falls to the ankle, rolled up it becomes shorts for a swim. The knots are different and we have collected them in a separate guide: how to tie a men’s sarong.
Care: three rules, no more
Wash by hand in cold water, separately the first few times — natural dyes and deep colours can bleed slightly at the start. Never leave it to soak. Dry in the shade rather than full sun, which eventually dulls the blues and reds. Viscose dries in minutes and drops its creases once worn; if you must iron, do it on low heat on the reverse side.
Want to try? Every model is hand-painted in Java in a limited series: see the pareos.
